Competitive Research Funding Schemes for the Local Self-financing Degree Sector

Sixth Call for Proposals

Background

The investment income¹ of HK$3 billion of the Research Endowment Fund provides competitive and non-recurrent research funding for the local self-financing degree sector to develop the research capacity of both the institutions and the faculty members.

Competitive Research Funding Schemes

Three funding schemes, namely Faculty Development Scheme (FDS), Inter-Institutional Development Scheme (IIDS) and Institutional Development Scheme (IDS), were launched in 2013 to provide funding for research activities performed in the local self-financing degree sector. After a comprehensive review in 2018, the Research Grants Council (RGC) decided to expand the scope of the IDS and to branch out the scheme into two grants, i.e. the "Research Infrastructure Grant" and the "Collaborative Research Grant". Ambits of these schemes are elaborated below:

(i) The Faculty Development Scheme (FDS) aims to develop the research capability of individual academics so that they can transfer their research experiences and new knowledge into teaching and learning.

(ii) The Inter-Institutional Development Scheme (IIDS) is to enhance academics' research capability and to keep them abreast of new developments and challenging research topics in relevant fields through the organisation of workshops or short courses on an institutional or joint-institutional basis.

(iii) The Institutional Development Scheme (IDS)

- Research Infrastructure Grant aims to build up the research capacity of the local self-financing degree-awarding institutions in their strategic area.
- Collaborative Research Grant aims to encourage collaborative research within / among institutions.

Collaboration, either within the local self-financing degree sector or between the local self-financing degree sector and the University Grant Committee (UGC) sector, is strongly encouraged. Collaboration may be in the form of research projects or sharing of research facilities supported by the three funding schemes.

To provide research training opportunity to undergraduate students, applicants are encouraged to involve undergraduate students in their research projects and apply for the related allowance in the applications.

Operation framework of the three funding schemes can be downloaded here.

Eligibility

Full-time academic staff² of the below listed institutions³ are eligible for submission of applications to the Sixth Round exercise:

• Caritas Institute of Higher Education
  
• Centennial College
  
• Chu Hai College of Higher Education
  
• Gratia Christian College
  
• HKCT Institute of Higher Education
  
• Hong Kong Nang Yan College of Higher Education
  
• Hong Kong Shue Yan University
  
• School of Continuing Education, Hong Kong Baptist University
  
• School of Professional Education and Executive Development, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
  
• Technological and Higher Education Institute (THEi) of Hong Kong
  
• The Hang Seng University of Hong Kong
  
• The Open University of Hong Kong
  
• Tung Wah College
• Yew Chung College of Early Childhood Education

¹ The funding available for the competitive research funding for the local self-financing degree sector depends on the investment return of the Research Endowment Fund.
² Please refer to the application guidelines for the staff eligibility.
³ Institutions are listed in alphabetical order.

Application Procedures

Application should be made in the prescribed form for the corresponding funding scheme and must be submitted through the applicant's affiliated institution. The related application forms and guidelines can be downloaded here from the RGC website at https://www.ugc.edu.hk/eng/rgc/funding_opport/funding_schemes.html.

As a starting point to establish the researcher database in Hong Kong, applicants are required to provide a valid Open Researcher and Contributor ID identifier (ORCID iD) starting from the 2019/20 exercise.

Workshop on Application Procedures

Presentation of Workshop

Video Clippings of Workshop		Video
	Workshop on Application for Competitive Research Funding Schemes for the Local Self-financing Degree Sector (16 November 2018)
1	Opening Remarks - by Prof Helen MENG, Chairman, APSF
2	Experience Sharing on FDS - by Dr Jeanne FU, HSUHK
3	Experience Sharing on FDS - by Dr Douglas NG, OUHK
4	How an application is assessed - by Prof Helen MENG, Chairman, APSF
5	Revised Framework on IDS - by Prof Helen MENG, Chairman, APSF
6	Question & Answer

Deadline for Application

All applications must be submitted to the UGC Secretariat by 5:00 pm on 1 March 2019 (Friday).

Enquiries

For enquiries regarding the three funding schemes and the application procedures, please approach the Research Coordinators of respective institutions in the first instance. Contact details are as follows:

Ms Janice LUK Caritas Institute of Higher Education 2 Chui Ling Lane, Tseung Kwan O, New Territories, Hong Kong	Tel: 3702 4361 Email: jluk@cihe.edu.hk
Ms Kammy WONG Centennial College 3 Wah Lam Path, Pokfulam, Hong Kong	Tel: 3762 6145 Email: kammy.wong@centennialcollege.hku.hk
Mr LEUNG Ka-yan Chu Hai College of Higher Education 80 Castle Peak Road, Castle Peak Bay, Tuen Mun, New Territories, Hong Kong	Tel: 2972 7289 Email: kyleung@chuhai.edu.hk
Mr Raymond YEUNG Gratia Christian College 5 Wai Chi Street, Shek Kip Mei, Kowloon, Hong Kong	Tel: 5804 4140 Email: raymondyeung@gratia.edu.hk
Ms Christine CHAN HKCT Institute of Higher Education 3/F, HKCT Jockey Club Undergraduate Campus, 2 On Shing Street, Ma On Shan, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong	Tel: 2265 6976 Email: christinechan@ctihe.edu.hk
Prof SIN Chow-yiu Hong Kong Nang Yan College of Higher Education 325-329 Lai Chi Kok Road, Sham Shui Po, Kowloon, Hong Kong	Tel: 3996 1018 Email: cysin@ny.edu.hk
Mr Jeff CHAN Hong Kong Shue Yan University 10 Wai Tsui Crescent, Braemar Hill Road, North Point, Hong Kong	Tel: 2804 8438 Email: jswchan@hksyu.edu
Dr Sam LAU School of Continuing Education Hong Kong Baptist University 2/F, Franki Centre, 320 Junction Road, Kowloon Tong, Kowloon, Hong Kong	Tel: 3411 3027 Email: samlau@hkbu.edu.hk
Ms Sarah TANG School of Professional Education and Executive Development (SPEED) Room QR802, 8/F, Core R, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong	Tel: 3746 0055 Email: spsarah@speed-polyu.edu.hk
Dr Tracy KWAN Technological and Higher Education Institute (THEi) of Hong Kong 133 Shing Tai Road, Chai Wan, Hong Kong	Tel: 3890 8090 Email: ttckwan@vtc.edu.hk
Miss Ritz HO The Hang Seng University of Hong Kong Hang Shin Link, Siu Lek Yuen, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong	Tel: 3963 5127 Email: ritzho@hsu.edu.hk
Ms Candy LEUNG The Open University of Hong Kong 30 Good Shepherd Street, Ho Man Tin, Kowloon, Hong Kong	Tel: 2768 6251 Email: chileung@ouhk.edu.hk
Ms Janet YAM Tung Wah College 31 Wylie Road, Homantin, Kowloon, Hong Kong	Tel: 3190 6686 Email: janetyam@twc.edu.hk
Prof Soyoun BAE Yew Chung College of Early Childhood Education 2 Tin Wan Hill Road, Tin Wan, Aberdeen, Hong Kong	Tel: 3977 9865 Email: soyoun.bae@yccece.edu.hk

Staff members of the UGC Secretariat for enquiries:

Ms Milly Wong
Senior Research Administrator (4)
Tel: 2844 9956
Email: millywong@ugc.edu.hk

Miss Grace Kwok
Research Administrator (4)
Tel: 2844 9976
Email: gkwok@ugc.edu.hk

UGC Secretariat
January 2019